Terming global warming and energy crisis as the biggest challenges before the people of the whole world, R.R. Sonde, Fellow of National Academy of Engineers (FNAE) and Executive Vice-President of THERMAX Ltd., held that innovative and multidisciplinary approach could help in addressing them.

He was delivering the Dr. Abdul Kalam Memorial Lecture at Central University of Karnataka here on Monday to mark former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s birth anniversary. The event was organised by the School of Engineering and Sciences and IEEE Student Branch on the university’s main campus at Kadaganchi, about 22 km from here.

“Climate change and energy crisis are the major problems of the world in general and India in particular. We are importing huge quantities of crude oil worth $ 120 billion dollars every year to meet our energy needs. The lower level of efficiency of the existing technology is resulting in the consumption of larger quantity of oil which is, in turn, contributing largely to climate change,” he said.

He stressed the need for enhancing technological efficiency to at least 60 % on the one hand and increasing people’s reliance on green and carbon-free energy sources such as solar and wind on the other. The development of methanol and hydrogen-based technology for green energy production could, he added, turn energy-importing India into an energy-exporting country.

Recalling the contributions made by great Indian scientists C.V. Raman, Homi Baba, Verghese Kurien and M.S. Swaminathan to make a point that India too can do better than the West in science and technology, Mr. Sonde said that the motives of the young Indian generation should bring the country back to its glories.

“After the Pokhran nuclear tests, the developed countries imposed sanctions on India. Yet, India could show what it can do despite hurdles, thanks to the great leaders and scientists. We have become one among the top leaders in space technology, nuclear energy, information and digital technology and have become self-reliant in many economic aspects,” he said.

University vice-chancellor H.M. Maheshwaraiah, who presided over the event, said that his university was building a Knowledge Plaza and Instrumentation Centre to boost innovative thinking among its students.

“For the academic development of students and faculties, the university has signed a memorandum of understanding with IIT Hyderabad to make it a mentoring institute for the School of Engineering of the university. Similar MoUs will be signed with IIM Bengaluru and IISc Bengaluru to help the School of Business Studies and School of Science in the university. To make the university campus a green campus, the university is producing 300 KW of solar energy. There are plans to increase it to 800 KW,” he said.